A murmur of voices could be heard outside the door; then the shuffling noise of many feet upon the stones outside; then the dull blow made by the impact of the heavy beam against the door itself.
And as the door gave way instantly, as Nick knew it would do.
It flew open at the first touch of the heavy beam against it, and as Nick still remained beside the senator, they could both see that half a dozen men at once forced their way into the lower hall.
But they paused there tentatively.
The utter absence of opposition seemed to alarm them greatly. It was evident that they suspected a plot of some kind; it was not unlikely that it might have occurred to them that a bomb had been prepared to receive them.
But the voice of Mustushimi was now heard form the steps outside the house, shouting to his men.
"Forward!" he called to them. "What are you waiting for? Forward!"
Still they hesitated, while others crowded into the hallway until there was a throng there- as many as could stand in the space at the bottom of the stairs, and Nick chuckled to himself, observing it.
That was exactly the condition he had hoped for; exactly the situation he wished, for while those who hesitated continued to stand irresolute, others crowded in behind them until there was almost a jam in the lower hall.
Two or three had stepped upon the stairs, and were waiting there, undecided what to do, when again the voice of Mustishimi was heard, ordering them onward.